Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-05-25
TEXAS.
Historical Sketch of the State by Judge w
L. Husbands.


-Che first European emigrants to Texas
were led hither by Robert Cavalier, the
SIeur de Is Sale, who landed at Mata-
gords bay on February IS, 1855. L6
Sale was brave and gallant knight OF
Louis NV, who had also prior to his
advent into Texas the honor Of discover
ing the mouth OF the Mississippi, which
ne did on April :, l6S2, and on the second
day thereafter celebrated the discovery
With great ceremony, taking possession
IN the name Of Louis XIV. by proclama-
ton and process verbal OF all the territory
watered by the Mississippi from its mouth
10 lis source, and by the streams flowing
into II on both sides. II is remarkable
That the mouth Of this grest river was not
discovered for nearly 200 years after the
discovery of America. De Soto coming
from FIorids had in lJ43 discovered the
river, and in descending same in
search of its mouth was buried in its
waters. Prior to La Sales discovery il
had been supposed thai the Mississippi
emDtied into TIE VermiliiOn sea, the
name then given 70 the Gulf of California.
la Sale, upon his return to France, re-
ported his splendid discovery, which
caused great excitement, both al court
and among the learned. He then pro-
posed to proceed 70 the mouth of the
Mississippi by ses and there to found a
colony, which being granted by his gra-
CiOus sovereign, g commission was issued
10 aim, giving him authority to establish
colonies IN Louisiana. Owing to a mis-
calculation 10 latitude La Sale, on his
returning voyage with his colonists,
passed the mouth OF the Mississippi and
ina'IY landed at MatagOrda bay. From
that point he and some Of his COlOnIsts
made their way up the river Lsvacca, and
and in July, 1856, he founded colony
upOn the banks Of that stream,
sad there erected a fort which
be named St. Louis. At the
time OF the landing Of the French colony
ana fer many years after@ard the terri
tory now known as Texas was peopled
only by Indians, and but spaTsely by
them The Ee5Test Spanish settlement
was al Panuco, near TsmpicO, q distance
Of more than 200 leagues south OF the
LavsCca river. The Spanish colony in
Florida, though established some time
before, was in & languishi-g condition.
The city Of Philadelphia had been fCunded
but three years before by Penn. The
colonies Of New England, numbering
then about loo, 600 inhabitants, were
struggling with Great Britain for their
charters and with the Indians for their
lands NV York, with a population Of
some 1000, had just changed owners, and
Witnessed the assembling Tor the first time
Of aer Legislature. Virginia, grooming
under the despotc acts 6f Charles H.
mad lust closed with defeat the rebellion
Of Nathaniel Bacon.
The SpRniaTds claim to have settled
Toahuila as early as the year 1000, but
this claim il uniounded in fact. Caihua-
hua was not settled tlll 1871. New Mexico
had been settled earlier, probably some
time in the latter part of the fifteenth cen
Jury, OyCertain Mexican monks and friars,
VINO settled near the site of the present
city Of Santa Fe.
From the foregoing sketch it will be
seen that La Sales neighbors were few
and distant, his nearest and most numer-
Gus neiZhbOrs being the ComanChes, then
as now, tribe OF roaming sGVages whose
chief glory it was 10 murder, and steal,
and Is 20 whom no doubt Ii Sale thought
distance lent enchsntment TO the view"
There were various other tribes of Indians
then scattered over this vast country.
Tleg knew or cared but little except to
hunt the wild buTGto OyeE,the broad plains
( - his then unknown domain, aud thus
TO enjoy their uGrescrsiUed liberty
aud 10 live in the simplicity Of unadu-
Gated nature. Such two centuries ago
were the original inhabitants of Texas.
At this tine Texas was without s
boundary and without g name.
Texas was then 10 La Sale, and after
ward to mis- nation, part Of Louisiana.
By all the rules OF international law the
country was French by right Of dis
cOyery.
To Spain 1t was utterly unknown.
Neither Ponce &c Leon, De Soto, nor other
Of the Spanish voyagers had
discovered it. Spain, however, by
virtue q bnll issued By
Pope Alexander VI. in 1904, which pre-
tended 10 settle the dispute between the
Kings Of Portugal and CASTLE concerning
their claims in America, ard by which
their couq1ests were divided by a line
running from pole 10 D0'e' $40 miles west
II the Azores, confirming to Spain the
country west of that meridian; and also
9vfeaS0u OF She voyages CT De Soto and
others il l525 claimed the country and is
sued royal order prohibiting slI for
eigUl5s from entering the Gulf
If Mexico CydeT pain of death
Here, then, IN the settlement
by Is Sale, under the orders OF his
sovereign and the monstrous preten-
SiOus Of Spain is laid the foundation OF
controversy, which being transferred
from one party to another is fn&uy and
forever settled by the treaty of Guadalupe
HidalgO made between the United States
and Mexico on the PM OF February, 1875
The unjust order OF Phillip was carried
into execution, and all the CoIonists who
accompanied Ia Sale were INSIDE prison
ers and cast into the mines
Phillip, King 4 Spain, having
information Of these proceedings
issued his orders for the psciacstion and
reduction Of Texas, and in 1851 Don Do
minTO was appointed governor II Goa
huila and Texas, and TOOK possession of
the fort ST St. Louis on the Lgvacca.
They remained there, however, but a
short time, soon abandoning the country
ana returning 10 their Lomes. Texas
was once mCre without European set
tiers. Thus matters remained Tor some
time, no active opposition being mani
tested to SPAIN pretenSions OF ownership
Of Texas, though the country was not
then known by that name. The name,
n fact, is involved in ObSCurity. One
story Of its origin is that on the visit OF
some of the eariier colOnists TO the Gents
Indians in 1852 they were received with
grert kindness, and by the Indians called
Texas, +" which in their language signifies
friends. The country was known for
many years as the New Philippine.
In 1928, Spain began TO import immi
grants TO Texas in order 10 hold their
possessions, and appointed q governor